Bus Driver of The Year 2016

Double checking for position

Every year, as part of the plan to maintain the high standards of its bus drivers, Arriva London holds a Bus Driver of the Year competition. The competition is open to all its five thousand bus drivers to see who is the best driver in the company. This year, the competition was held at the company’s Edmonton garage and the entrants, a total of eighteen this year, were selected for the competition on their driving record in service.

Having been selected, the competitors were required to drive through a course specially designed to test their driving skills to the limit. The course included:

Driving the tight course

completing a First Use Inspection - a task every driver has to complete on a daily basis before taking their vehicle out on the road

The blustery conditions and threat of some rain didn’t deter the entrants, and the competition was intense. Penalty points were given for any driving errors and the scores totted up to decide the winner.

An added incentive to do well, apart from the trophy and prize money, was the knowledge that the top three drivers would automatically qualify to go to the National Bus Driver of the Year competition, which is held later in the year in Blackpool, where they will compete with their peers from other bus companies from right across the UK.

Runner up Darren Kelly from Croydon garage

The eventual winner was Steve Truman from Arriva London’s Watford garage, with Darren Kelly from Croydon garage as runner up and Noel Law from Clapton garage in third.

3rd placed Noel Law from Clapton garage

The winner received the coveted Bus Driver of the Year trophy and a personal medal presented by Arriva London’s Commercial Director, Peter Batty. He also won a weekend break and received a cash prize of £400. Darren in second place received £200, and third placed Noel £100.

Every competitor received a personal medal and there was a special presentation and medal for the assistant scorer Adam, whose aunt works for Arriva London. Adam has been assistant scorer for a number of years and was delighted with his medal and a box of chocolates, also presented by Peter.

Special award for Adam, the assistant scorer

Apart from a great day for testing the driving skills of Arriva London’s top bus drivers, the Bus Driver of the Year competition is also a great day out for family and friends, where the company lays on food and drink for everyone attending and entertainment for the children.

As Peter Batty said:
“It’s so important that we have days like today, when we can recognise our drivers in this way. Eighteen drivers selected from Arriva London’s five thousand; every driver here today is a winner!”

If you would like to join Arriva London as a bus driver, then please visit our driver application page. We look forward to hearing from you and hopefully, in the future, you can join our winning team and become an Arriva London Bus Driver and possibly a future Bus Driver of the Year.

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